Abbott fires up over Joe

FORMER prime minister Tony Abbott says a report he did a deal with Joe Hockey to hand him the top job is “fake news”.

Former treasurer Mr Hockey told The Australian in an exclusive interview he believed he had a deal with Mr Abbott to be handed the prime ministership at some point during the Coalition’s time in government.

But, that arrangement became null and void when Malcolm Turnbull seized the party leadership in 2015.

Mr Hockey told the newspaper he talked to Mr Abbott about the leadership of the party several times, and the two had reached an “understanding” he would be the next leader.

If the change took place in government, under the “deal”, Mr Hockey would become the next prime minister.

Mr Abbott posted a statement on Twitter saying the story was false and “absurd”.

“This story … is fake news,” Mr Abbott said.

“The idea that I would do a secret deal to hand over the prime ministership is absurd because it’s not in the gift of anyone, let alone a PM under the sort of pressure I was.

“As Troy Bramston (the author of The Australian article) well knows, my view is that the prime ministership should be decided by the people, not any two individuals conspiring in secret, which I would never do.”